A "study" (using the term generously) by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES) at the University of Central Florida that looks at graduation rates claims that Cal has a zero graduation success rate for black and white basketball players entering school from 1999-2002, with an overall graduation rate of 20%. Meanwhile, Cal has an APR of 944 for the period from 2004-2008, well above the 925 number that can result in scholarship reductions and other penalties. So it seems as though for more recent years the graduation rate is better. The "study" notes that a 925 APR score is equivalent to an NCAA GSR rate of approximately 60 percent.

The Institute reviewed 2002‐03 graduation (six‐year) rates, with a four class average (freshman classes of, 1999‐2000, 2000‐01, 2001‐02, and 2002‐03). The APR data in this study does not include data from the 2008‐09 academic performances of the teams, but instead uses the four‐year data from the 2004‐05, 2005‐06, 2006‐07, and 2007‐08 academic years.

The "study" lists Cal as having an overall overall student graduation rate of 80%. A related study looking at football graduation rates shows Cal has an overall football graduation rate of 64%, with 62% for black players and 69% for white players. These numbers are from 1999‐2003, so that covers some pre-Tedford recruiting classes. The overall football graduation rate from the bowl teams in 2009-2010 is 65%, with 58% for black players and 77% for white players.

Now, getting back to basketball. Is the data correct that Cal did not have a single black or white basketball player graduate who enrolled from 1999-2002? I thought for sure that at least Gabriel Hughes, Amit Tamir, Richard Midgley, and Rod Benson graduated. Is this wrong or is the NCAA data messed up? Maybe others graduated as well. I don't know if signed players who didn't even enroll count in the data, but players who transfer and graduate somewhere else do not count against the graduation rate.

The only thing I can conclude from this study and the graduation rates in general is that Ben Braun was not only a bad coach on the court, but was a failure when it came to the academic progress of his players. The program was in such disarray that many of the players he recruited did not even have a chance to graduate.

1999: Donte Smith [enrolled spring 1999], Joe Shipp, ShanTay Legans, Brian Wethers, Nick Vander Laan

2000: Saulius Kuzminskas, Gabriel Hughes, Michael Lawson

2001: Jamal Sampson, Julian Sensley, Erik Bond, Amit Tamir

2002: Richard Midgley, David Paris, Rod Benson, Jordi Geli Vilardell, Kennedy Winston